War runs through the fabric of not only our nation's history, but our city's history as well. Established as a fort by General Anthony Wayne in 1794 to secure this strategic location near important transportation routes and the nearby Miami village o... View Exhibit Page

200@200: October — To Govern and Serve

From the original platting of Fort Wayne to modern services, local government is an integral part of city life. In the early to mid-1800s as Fort Wayne's population skyrocketed, so too did the citizenry's needs for local government change. These ea... View Exhibit Page

200@200: September — Spirit of Competition

Fort Wayne has a rich heritage in individual and team athletics as well as in recreational and competitive sports. A typical child in Fort Wayne grew up spending summers swimming in a watering hole or playing Wildcat baseball in the mornings and sho... View Exhibit Page

200@200: August — World of Arts and Culture

While downtown arts and cultural offerings have played a vital role in the reinvention of our city today, this work has greatly contributed to the vibrancy of our city for many years.

Innovation can be defined as a new idea, device, or method, as well as the act or process of introducing new ideas, devices, or methods. Fort Wayne and its surrounding area have been unusually creative, energetic, visionary, and entrepreneurial. In... View Exhibit Page

200@200: June — Coming Together

For June we turn to Coming Together-the organizations, groups, places and shared experiences that bind people together and help to build a city identity. This sense of community offers many appealing features of a broad societal relationship: safety,... View Exhibit Page

200@200: May — A Slice of Life

For many, the word 'history' brings to mind the dates of significant events or historical figures. Yet there is so much more to the preservation and study of past events, particularly in our own backyard. Though the History Center makes a point to s... View Exhibit Page

200@200: April — Traveling the Crossroads

As the frontier of the young United States moved westward, the need for better transportation in an expanding nation became essential. While many early travelers through northeast Indiana used American Indian trails and buffalo paths, our three rive... View Exhibit Page

200@200: March — Peopling the Community

The place where Fort Wayne was founded, referred to as the confluence, literally "the flowing together", has long been prized for its strategic location at the meeting point of the three rivers. Yet it is also a place where people come together. Over... View Exhibit Page

200@200: February — Contention for the Confluence

With February, our theme shifts to "Contention for the Confluence," the time in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when relationships between the native Miami Indians and settlers heading west became increasingly tense.

In determining what was "iconic" about Fort Wayne, the term itself brought up debate: does the word refer to people? Places? Experiences? We put the question to you, and a range of answers came back to us.... View Exhibit Page

General Electric— Powering Fort Wayne

General Electric, at its peak, employed over 20,000 workers in Fort Wayne plants. Most of the production was of electric motors, although other electrical equipment, a lot of research and development research was performed here as well. General Elect... View Exhibit Page

Fort Wayne Fashion: Downton Abbey Era

Set in England during the first quarter if the 20th century, the PBS drama Downton Abbey has garnered many loyal viewers. The show spans a time in history where fashion changed dramatically over a relatively short number of years. Women went f... View Exhibit Page

The Edge of History: Swords

The Allen County - Fort Wayne Historical Society's artifact collection includes over 100 swords ranging from ceremonial fraternal organizations to U. S. naval officers. Though a seemingly simple and utilitarian object, the design and detail on each o... View Exhibit Page

Stitching Together the Past: Quilts in the History Center Collection

Quilting in America really began out of necessity. A frontier woman had to provide her family with clothing and bedding often made from fabric she wove herself with thread spun by her own hand. People were settling far from resources so if you needed... View Exhibit Page

Collection Curiosities

Cultured people of the Victorian era collected memorabilia during their travels and placed it on display in their homes for the enjoyment of friends and relatives essentially operating their own museum out the parlor in their home. Display areas like... View Exhibit Page

Allen County Women's History

Each year in the United States we recognize March as Women's History Month and on March 8, 2014 International Women's Day will be celebrated. Local women, both well-known and unknown, have made great contributions to society. This exhibit includes... View Exhibit Page

Sports In Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne has a rich sports history with notable athletes of amateur and professional ranks. Perhaps one of our great city's most notable claims to sports fame was hosting the first professional league baseball game. On May 4, 1871 the Fort Wayne... View Exhibit Page

The Wolf & Dessauer Shopping Experience

For many area residents, one of the fondest holiday memories is visiting the Wolf & Dessauer Department Store. Remembered most this time of year are the holiday windows unveiled each Thanksgiving Day. The brightly lit Santa with his reindeer and the... View Exhibit Page

Merci Train: Gifts of Gratitude from France

In 1947 Americans opened their hearts and filled The Friendship Train. The train, conceived by Washington columnist Drew Pearson, traveled across the United States collecting donated goods to be sent to a struggling war torn Europe. Fort Wayne, Allen... View Exhibit Page

Civil Rights in Fort Wayne: A Photographic Retrospective

August 28, 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the march on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic "I Have a Dream" speech. This virtual exhibit shares a few captured moments on the local civil rights movement in Fort Wayne.